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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24913645">No More Giants</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/babs/pseuds/babs'>babs</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Stargate SG-1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Blink And You Miss It Slash, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, M/M, Post-Season/Series 10 Finale</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 04:12:58</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,069</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24913645</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/babs/pseuds/babs</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Cameron Mitchell deals with a mission that changes SG-1.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Daniel Jackson/Jack O'Neill</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>70</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>No More Giants</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Are they gone?" </p>
<p>Cam bent over the man he held close in his arms. "Not yet." He put a bloody hand over lips that had a blue-ish tint to them. "Soon, Daniel."</p>
<p>Daniel looked at him, his blue eyes stark in his pale pale face. He grimaced although Cam thought it was really an attempt at a smile. "Now I know it’s bad. You’re calling me Dan…" He stopped for breath. Cam could feel the struggle underneath his arm.</p>
<p>"Shh," Cam warned. Leaves rustled, shouts echoed, twigs cracked. Beneath his fingers, Daniel’s breath was barely there and he could feel Daniel’s body growing colder.</p>
<p>Damn it. This mission had gone to hell from the first minutes they’d stepped through the Gate. He wasn’t sure if Sam and Teal’c had made it back to safety. He glanced away--over at the dead body a few feet away from them at the entrance to the cave. Vala’s blank open eyes accused him, reminded him of his failure to keep his team, all of them safe.. And now, Daniel was dying by inches in his arms.</p>
<p>Daniel shuddered beneath him but didn’t make a sound. </p>
<p>Blood, there was so much blood, Cam thought. He didn’t know how much blood the human body could lose although he knew Daniel had lost way more than he should have. He tightened his left hand on Daniel’s thigh, the pressure bandage he’d hastily applied was sticky beneath his hand. </p>
<p>He strained as he listened for sounds of the aliens hunting them--bipedal felines with weapons that shot fire and projectiles. He pulled Daniel back further into the darkness of the cave, forced himself to ignore the little huffs of pain Daniel gave at the movement.</p>
<p>"I’m sorry," Cam said, meaning for so much more than the current pain.</p>
<p>He wondered how well the felines could smell. Could they see in the dark?</p>
<p>There was a sound outside their hiding place and Cam hunched, shielding Daniel’s body with his own. More of that guttural yell and then the sound of running--this time away instead of towards them.</p>
<p>"Ship?" Daniel whispered.</p>
<p>"Maybe," Cam said. He strained to hear the sound of the ship that had appeared so suddenly overhead while they were exploring on what had given every indication of an uninhabited world. </p>
<p>He heard then—not only heard it but felt it in the pressure of the air coming into the cave. He held his breath, hoping, praying that the ship was leaving and he'd be able to get Jackson through the Gate to the SGC.</p>
<p>"Hang on," he said and laid Daniel down before crawling to the entrance. Vala's body was still there—he'd been afraid they'd desecrate it somehow. </p>
<p>"I'm sorry," he told her as he closed those staring, accusing eyes. He avoided looking more closely at the side of her head. Bile rose in his throat and he barely managed to move away before losing the contents of his stomach.</p>
<p>A flash lit the sky and he looked overhead to see the alien ship ascending quickly.</p>
<p>He wiped his mouth and made his way back into the cave.</p>
<p>"They're gone," he said to Daniel as he knelt by him.</p>
<p>"Good." The word came out on a sigh. "Vala…"</p>
<p>Had Jackson forgotten? Cam wasn't sure. He found he couldn't open his mouth to form the words, to say it. To come out and say, Vala's dead. I failed us. </p>
<p>"I've got to get you to the Gate," he said instead. "Get you home and in Fraiser and Lam's hands."</p>
<p>He bent to lift the other man in a fireman's carry and forced himself to ignore the weak whimpers Daniel gave as he positioned him.</p>
<p>He'd need to come back for Vala—wouldn't he? Or maybe someone from the SGC would come back through, or maybe he could drop Jackson off in the infirmary and then guide a team back here. Had Sam and Teal'c made it through the Gate? He knew he'd wondered before.</p>
<p>He didn't know how many kilometers it was to the Gate and he could feel Daniel begin to heave against his back.</p>
<p>He stopped, lowered the other man to the ground. He wiped away the blood from Daniel's mouth.</p>
<p>"Leave," Daniel said, his breathing shallow and fast.</p>
<p>"Nope," Cam said. "And I'm your commanding officer so you've got to listen to me, Jackson." He placed his hand on Daniel's cheek. "Stay with me here."</p>
<p>"Trying," Daniel said. He opened his eyes and looked up, his gaze focused on something beyond Cam. </p>
<p>Cam knew that look—had seen it before. "No. You are not going to do this, Jackson. You. Are. Not."</p>
<p>"Tell Ja..." his voice trailed off and Cam pressed fingers to Daniel's throat.</p>
<p>"I said you are not doing this," he yelled when he couldn't even feel the flutter of a heartbeat. He slammed his fist into Jackson's chest, began compressions, counting out loud. "C'mon, c'mon." His own breath came out in puffs and his muscles burned. </p>
<p>Someone pushed him away and when he fought, arms gripped him tighter. He kicked out, trying to get back to his job—to save Daniel. </p>
<p>"Colonel Mitchell. Cease your fighting."</p>
<p>The voice was familar—low, strong.</p>
<p>"Teal'c?" He breathed the name, looked down at the arms around his body. "Teal'c, okay?"</p>
<p>"Colonel Carter and I am unharmed," Teal'c said in his ear. "The medics are with Daniel Jackson."</p>
<p>His vision cleared and he could see people in uniform surrounding Daniel's body—no, surrounding Daniel.</p>
<p>Sam came to him, put a hand on his cheek, turned his head towards her. "Vala? Did they take her?"</p>
<p>Cam shook his head. "She's..." Saying it would make it real. "I can take you to her," he said.</p>
<p>He focused on Sam's face, saw understanding come to her. </p>
<p>"We'll bring her home," Sam assured him and strode away, calling out orders to more SGC personnel.</p>
<p>"We will follow Daniel Jackson," Teal'c told him—an order in its own right. "Are you injured, Colonel Mitchell?"</p>
<p>Cam looked down at his bloody hands, resting over Teal'c's oh so clean ones. He could smell Daniel's blood, still feel the way Daniel's ribs had broken when he'd started CPR. </p>
<p>"No," he said, but he was pretty sure it was all a lie.</p>
<p>* * * *</p>
<p>"A word, General?" </p>
<p>Jack looked up from his desk at Doctor Lam. His mouth went dry.</p>
<p>"Dan..."</p>
<p>"Doctor Jackson's condition is still critical but he's stable," she said. "Doctor Fraiser is with him now."</p>
<p>Jack stood, motioned for her to sit but she shook her head.</p>
<p>"It's Colonel Mitchell, sir," she said. She looked up at him. "We can't get him to leave Daniel's bedside."</p>
<p>Jack thought back hours ago, when Daniel had been brought through the Gate and rushed into surgery. Mitchell had paced the hallway, in his bloody uniform. He'd stood emotionless as the bodybag containing Vala had gone past them. </p>
<p>Teal'c had somehow persuaded Mitchell to take a shower and change, but in Jack's memory it hadn't taken the man more than a few minutes. Landry had taken Carter, Mitchell, and Teal'c away to de-brief and by the time Mitchell had come back, Daniel was out of surgery. The man hadn't looked any better as he came to the bed where Daniel lay hooked up to monitors and tubes. </p>
<p>When Jack left because duty to the SGC called, he hadn't moved from his place.</p>
<p>"Sir?"</p>
<p>Lam's voice cut into his thoughts and Jack nodded.</p>
<p>"I'll see what I can do."</p>
<p>"Thank you, sir." She left as Jack straightened papers and put the necessary ones in his outbox. Before the infirmary, he'd need to take a detour by Carter's lab.</p>
<p>Fraiser gave him a little nod as he came into the infirmary, her sherry brown eyes showing her concern, not only for Daniel, but for Mitchell. Maybe even more for Mitchell, Jack thought. She could take care of the physical needs Daniel had, but Mitchell's wounds were of a different sort.</p>
<p>Jack stepped to Daniel's bed, reached down to place his hand over Daniel's left one. He squeezed even though he knew there wouldn't be a response.</p>
<p>"Doctor Lam said he's stable," Jack said.</p>
<p>"He's in a coma," Mitchell said, voice flat. "They still don't know if he'll lose the leg."</p>
<p>"It's Daniel," Jack said. Wasn't Mitchell supposed to be the optimist on the team? Or at least the one who gave Daniel a run for the money in the "find the best in every situation" field?</p>
<p>"Yeah." Mitchell sighed. </p>
<p>Jack looked at the other man. He wondered how long it had been since the other man had slept or even eaten. At least twenty four hours, he figured quickly, but probably more.</p>
<p>"General."</p>
<p>"O'Neill."</p>
<p>Good, Carter and Teal'c were here just as he'd asked. </p>
<p>"We'll take watch," Carter said and smiled at Mitchell who didn't even notice.</p>
<p>His hands tightened on the bed rail.</p>
<p>"We will stay with Daniel Jackson," Teal'c said and stepped closer to the bed, attempting, Jack guessed, to crowd Mitchell out.</p>
<p>Yep—Mitchell and Daniel had another thing in common besides looking like they could be brothers. Pure stubborness.</p>
<p>"You're coming with me," Jack told him when Mitchell didn't move.</p>
<p>Mitchell looked at him then—and Jack saw the despair. </p>
<p>"That's an order, Colonel," Jack said. He hated the flash of betrayal that crossed the other man's face. </p>
<p>But Mitchell was career military and he straightened even more. "Yes, sir."</p>
<p>It was more of a whisper than vocalized speech but it would do, Jack thought. It would do for now.</p>
<p>He took Mitchell to the commissary, made the man eat. Okay it was only toast and only half a slice at that but it was something in the stomach. And he grabbed a couple of extra bottles of water as they left. </p>
<p>Mitchell trailed behind him silently—silent as he'd been since he followed Jack from the infirmary.</p>
<p>Jack knew what Mitchell was feeling—that overwhelming need to get back, to stand watch, to make sure Daniel kept breathing, to forget the sight of Vala in a body bag, to will his own strength into Daniel.</p>
<p>Problem was, the man had nothing left to give. Not physically and certainly not emotionally. He needed rest, he needed release before it built up and destroyed his ability to lead.</p>
<p>"Sit," Jack said.</p>
<p>Mitchell sat and then looked around. "The chapel?" His voice was strained.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Jack shrugged, twisted a cap off a water bottle, and handed it to Mitchell. </p>
<p>Mitchell cradled it between his hands, rolled it back and forth before taking a sip. </p>
<p>"You saved his life," Jack said into the quiet hush.</p>
<p>"Barely. We don't know if..," Mitchell shook his head. He blinked hard. "And Vala's dead."</p>
<p>"Yes."</p>
<p>He took another sip from the water bottle. His hands started shaking, and Jack took the bottle, put the cap back on and set it on the bench between them.</p>
<p>"She was in front of us, Daniel was already hurt, and I saw...I saw...I don't think..." Mitchell stopped, took a breath. "Do you think she knew? Felt it?"</p>
<p>Jack didn't have the answer—oh God, he didn't have the answer. Not for Mitchell, not for all the men and women who'd been under his command, not even for himself. He settled for the belief he'd held onto for years—for what he'd needed to make himself believe about a ten year old boy who'd shot himself with Jack's gun. "I think it was over in an instant, before her brain could register what happened."</p>
<p>Mitchell nodded and took a shuddering breath. "Jackson...Daniel...he wanted me to tell...to say...I told him I wouldn't. I ordered him to..." The blinking was faster now. "He can't die now."</p>
<p>Jack looked down at Mitchell's hands, fingers gripped so tightly together the knuckles were white. "They said he's critical but stable."</p>
<p>"What if..." Mitchell looked up then but not at Jack. He kept his gaze straight ahead. "He's in a coma. His heart stopped. What if..."</p>
<p>"We'll work it out," Jack said. He couldn't allow himself to think beyond the next few minutes, beyond the next few hours. The what if's didn't matter for now, only the what is for now's.</p>
<p>But Jack had been a soldier for too long—had been with Daniel as he'd grappled over seemingly senseless deaths in their war with the Goa'uld. Jack gave the same gift to Mitchell that he'd given over the years to Daniel—the one gift Daniel had given him that allowed him peace. Absolution.</p>
<p>"It wasn't your fault, Mitchell," Jack said, his voice as soft as he could make it.</p>
<p>Mitchell's shoulders hunched at the words, as if he was fighting them off. He began blinking even faster and he reached out blindly for the water bottle, more Jack thought to have something to hold onto than the need for a drink.</p>
<p>"I failed them. I failed Vala, Ja...Daniel," he whispered, his voice cracking and harsh in the silence of the chapel.</p>
<p>"It wasn't your fault," Jack told him again and he knew he'd repeat it over and over until the words sank in at least slightly.</p>
<p>Mitchell's hands were shaking even more and he hunched more into himself. A sound almost like laughter broke from him, but Jack saw the spatter of tears on Mitchell's fingers. There were more gasps as Mitchell tried to hold back, to bring control into a reality he didn't want to accept.</p>
<p>The hell with it, Jack thought. He put his hand on Mitchell's shoulder, gave a little tug and felt Mitchell fall onto his own shoulder, tears already soaking his sleeve.</p>
<p>"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Mitchell repeated.</p>
<p>Jack put his hand on the other man's head. "It wasn't your fault," Jack said. "Wasn't your fault."</p>
<p>How much time passed, Jack wasn't sure. He only knew that at one point, Mitchell had gone silent and there was only the sound of breathing. He moved slowly, not wanting to wake the other man. He managed to get him stretched out on the bench. Someone had placed some shawls and coverlets in the chapel a while back and Jack draped a few over the other man. He moved the water bottles to the floor and left as quietly as he could.</p>
<p>He didn't want Mitchell to wake up in embarassment at being found vulnerable and hurting. </p>
<p>One of the chaplains was in her office and he stepped in to let her know of Mitchell's presence. She nodded kindly and said she'd take care of things—and MItchell-- and by the time Jack left, he noticed there was a sign on the door directing people away from the chapel and to her office.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Jack went back to the infirmary where Fraiser was smiling and feeling a bit better about Daniel's condition even if he wasn't awake.</p>
<p>Jack sat down in the chair that Carter had occupied and told Carter and Teal'c to go get rest before he took Daniel's hand in his own and began another round of reassurance.</p>
<p>* * * *</p>
<p>Cam took a deep breath as he got out the car at General O'Neill's and Daniel's new house. Well not really that new as they'd been moving in before the mission where everything had gone to hell four months ago.</p>
<p>He'd hesitated about coming even after Daniel had extended the invitation to a barbecue a week ago.</p>
<p>A celebration, Daniel had said haltingly although much more clearly than he'd been speaking even a few days before.</p>
<p>And even though he wanted to say no, wanted to refuse because every time he looked at Daniel as he was now and saw the pain pass over the other man's face, he was reminded of the mission and the absence of Vala.</p>
<p>He took a deep breath, straightened, and walked towards the front door carrying a cherry pie he'd made himself from scratch after calling his mom and getting her recipe. </p>
<p>He noted Sam's car in the driveway parked sideways behind General O'Neill's and figured Teal'c had come with her.</p>
<p>"We're round back." General O'Neill came around the side of the house carrying tongs and a bottle of beer. He looked at the pie and then up at Cam. "You stop by Carrie's Diner?"</p>
<p>Cam shook his head as he followed. "I baked it myself. Mom always said never to show up empty handed to dinner."</p>
<p>General O'Neill grinned. "The thought is appreciated." He waved Cam towards a laden table on the deck. "Just put it there and help yourself to a beer. We've even got that special stuff Daniel likes."</p>
<p>Daniel who was conspiciously absent from standing by the grill with the general and Teal'c or sitting on a lounge chair by Sam.</p>
<p>"Hi." She smiled up at him and shaded her eyes. "Daniel's inside putting together some sort of salad."</p>
<p>Cam nodded with the beer in his hand and not quite sure what to do.</p>
<p>Sam made a shooing motion. "Go inside. I'm sure he'll be glad for any help you want to give." She made a face. "I'm not allowed to help because I'm too bossy."</p>
<p>"Amen to that," General O'Neill said. "And no, Teal'c, for the zillionth time, I am not burning the steaks."</p>
<p>Cam slid open the glass door, his eyes taking a moment to adjust to the dimmer light. He saw movement in the kitchen off to his side and wandered over.</p>
<p>Daniel looked up from the sink where he was rinsing lettuce in a colander. He broke into a smile. "Hey, Cam."</p>
<p>"Jackson," Cam nodded and took a step closer. "Uh, anything I can do to help?"</p>
<p>Daniel shook the colander and then turned to take the few steps to the table before placing it on a towel. Cam tried to keep his eyes away from the brace on the other man's leg. Not permanent, the doctors had assured them, but it was still going to be a few months more until Daniel was capable of going though the Stargate again. If, indeed, he wanted to. Not that Cam was going to blame him if he never wanted to be on any team Cam commanded again.</p>
<p>Even the slightly halting speech when he got overly tired or excited—a leftover from the six day coma—would be a distant memory by the time Daniel was pronounced fit for full duty.</p>
<p>He looked up to see Daniel looking at him with his head half-tilted. A look he'd seen on more than one occasion off-world or even in the SGC when Daniel was presented with a puzzle to solve. Daniel's gaze flicked down to the brace and then back up to Cam's face.</p>
<p>"They said I can start going without it next week," Daniel said. He stepped back. "You want to start tearing it up into the salad bowl?"</p>
<p>Cam nodded, unsure of what to say when he'd been responsible for the other man nearly losing his leg—call it like it was, nearly losing his life.</p>
<p>They worked side by side in silence for a time. Daniel peeling and cutting other vegetables, Cam rinsing and tearing at least three kinds of lettuce.</p>
<p>"I don't blame you," Daniel said into that long silence when Cam had his back turned getting a bottle of vinegar from the shelf where Daniel had directed.</p>
<p>Cam put the bottle down on the table carefully. He looked at Daniel who stared back at him with that completely open and honest way he had—the one that meant Daniel could never quite get away with lying no matter how hard he tried. It was a look that made Cam feel strangely like a kid in trouble and at the same time, the best person he could be.</p>
<p>Cam wanted to look away and found he couldn't. "You don't need to. I blame myself." He remembered General O'Neill with him in the chapel months ago saying over and over, it wasn't your fault. But he hadn't needed to hear it from the general as much as he'd needed to hear it from two others.</p>
<p>"You saved my life," Daniel said. He let out a sigh. "I remember you saying I didn't have permission to die. That it was an order." He hesitated a moment and then went on. "You do realize that I obey orders from you more than I ever did from Jack?"</p>
<p>Cam smiled at that. He'd heard that on more than once. "You obeyed very well." </p>
<p>They grew silent again. Cam heard the hum of the fridge, the sounds of people laughing and talking outside.</p>
<p>"Vala wouldn't blame you," Daniel said, his voice giving a strange little hitch. "She wouldn't want you to spend the rest of your life living with that burden." </p>
<p>Cam closed his eyes against the earnestness of Daniel's gaze and turned away. He could feel that tightness in his throat, that burning in his eyes—the one that came up in the middle of the night when Vala was just three steps ahead and he couldn't yell or reach her in time to save her.</p>
<p>"It gets better," Daniel said in that way that made him sound far wiser than his years. ""It hurts but it gets better."</p>
<p>Cam opened his eyes to see Daniel still watching him. He let out his breath, nodded and felt his heart loosen just a bit.</p>
<p>"Shake the dressing," Daniel said then, putting a jar in his hand. "I'm gonna take out the salad."</p>
<p>Cam watched him go, the limp less pronounced than it had been the week before. He stared at the jar—at the oil and vinegar and herbs, checked the lid, tightened it just in case, and shook hard.</p>
<p>* * * *</p>
<p>Cam stood in the yard, Daniel by his side once again. He felt comfortably full and relaxed. He'd limited himself to one beer, not wanting to risk having to stay overnight from drinking too much.</p>
<p>Carter and Teal'c were in the front with the general and their voices drifted back in the dark.</p>
<p>Daniel put another log on the fire and Cam figured he and General O'Neill were planning to sit out a bit longer.</p>
<p>"I'm glad you came," Daniel said. The firelight danced off his glasses.</p>
<p>"Thanks for asking me." Cam put his hands in the pockets, the air colder than in the city. "I'm surprised you moved this far out."</p>
<p>"Less light pollution," Daniel said. He pointed up and Cam let his gaze go skyward.</p>
<p>He breathed in wonder at the stars. Scattered like grains of sand, too numerous to even begin counting, although he could imagine Sam trying. But Daniel—Daniel and General O'Neill—the number of them didn't matter. Just the magic of the enormity of their universe was enough for them.</p>
<p>He remembered the telescope on the deck, the one that had been on the apartment balcony. </p>
<p>Cam felt his shoulders relax for the first time in a long while.</p>
<p>"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Daniel said softly. "I used to look for the suns of Abydos," he continued. "I'd remember the year with Sha're, before...before everything else happened."</p>
<p>Daniel didn't speak often of Sha're, but Cam felt as if he'd known her. He'd seen the only picture Daniel had of her-- beautiful, still young and free and so very loved by Daniel. And even now after seven years, when Daniel said her name, it sounded as he was breathing a prayer.</p>
<p>Cam hoped that someday he'd be able to say Vala's name with the same ease and reverence that Daniel had.</p>
<p>"You have to admit, that even with...despite everything, all the bad,..." Daniel gestured to his leg, and then his hands going wide in that way he had of using his whole body to convey what was important when he needed others to understand, "we've still got the best jobs in the world."</p>
<p>Cam looked away then, to hide the tears he felt in his eyes, and followed a spark as it spiraled up into the sky, until it blended into the background of the Milky Way. Maybe that was what all of their lives were—just sparks in the vastness of space, that rose strong and bright for just a few moments and then became part of the dance of the universe. And, Cam had to admit to himself, that was more than enough.</p>
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